Asyia Iftikhar
Published November 27, 2025 9:35am
Updated November 27, 2025 9:35am
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Previous Page Next Page Key Points summary__ai-icon- Netflix crashed briefly due to high demand as fans rushed to stream Stranger Things season five, part one
- The new season of Stranger Things, praised by fans and critics, quickly reached Netflix’s top 10
- The final season is set to conclude the series with a confident and highly anticipated ending
After an agonising three-year wait, Netflix dropped the first part of Stranger Things season five – and fans were not messing about.
As the first four episodes landed, outage tracker Downdetector flagged 14,000 cases in the US and hundreds more in countries such as India, causing the streaming giant to briefly crash.
‘Some members briefly experienced an issue streaming on TV devices, but service recovered for all accounts within five minutes,’ Netflix said in an email to Reuters.
What’s more, just hours after dropping, the show has already hit number four in Netflix’s top 10, no doubt on track to imminently top the charts and stay there for a long while.
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The widely-acclaimed sci-fi series, which first aired in 2016, is by far and away one of Netflix’s most defining shows, with viewers locked in to see how our motley crew of Dungeons and Dragons teens will defeat Vecna and seal the Upside Down once and for all.
The fresh batch of episodes sees the return of our main players, Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Will Byers (Noah Schnapp), Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), Max (Sadie Sink) and Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo).
Stranger Things season five is finally here – and it’s already making waves (Picture: Netflix)
As well as Joe Keery, Natalie Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Maya Hawke, David Harbour and Winona Ryder.
Past seasons of the Duffer Brothers’ show have garnered widespread praise, averaging an impressive 90% on Rotten Tomatoes.
User Mihail M wrote it was ‘the greatest show of our generation’ and Lockie B called Stranger Things ‘the best piece of media that Netflix has ever released and probably the best TV show of all time.’
And if season four was called ‘darker, scarier, and more emotional than ever’, then we can only imagine the calibre of the fifth and final season.
Critics have called the latest episodes ‘richly entertaining’ and ‘a thrill ride from start to finish’.
The gang have one last chance to defeat Vecna and the Upside Down (Picture: Netflix)
What is Metro's verdict on Stranger Things season five part one?
TV Editor Sabrina Barr shares her five-star review…
This isn’t just any old TV show. This finale is a TV moment that will be remembered for years to come. Especially if the sensational first four episodes of the season are anything to go by, which we were granted access to watch before their release today.
I know this isn’t the end – with four more episodes of the final season yet to come – but I have faith that the Duffer Brothers and everyone who poured their heart and soul into this series will stick the landing.
You can read the full review here.
‘Most shows would lose themselves under all that cultural baggage, but Stranger Things (mostly) didn’t,’ the Washington Post wrote.
‘The whole thing has a swagger and confidence which the show has always possessed — evident in the nostalgic soundtrack, meticulous production design, zippy editing and quippy scripts, as well — placing it high above its rivals,’ Vogue hailed.
And Financial Times added: ‘Stranger Things is bowing out with confidence. A three-year break and the prospect of a clear ending has allowed the show to regain its focus — which was sometimes lost in previous, more sprawling chapters.’
This is the beginning of the end (Picture: Netflix)
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Previous Page Next PageStranger Things season 5 volume 1: Key details
When’s the Stranger Things season 5 release date?
Stranger Things season 5 volume 1 is available to stream on Netflix now.
How many episodes are there?
There are four episodes in season 5, volume 1 of Stranger Things. There will be three more in volume 2, and one final episode in volume 3.
How long are the episodes?
The run times for the episodes in season 5, volume 1, are as follows:
- Chapter One: The Crawl – one hour and eight minutes
- Chapter Two: The Vanishing of… – 54 minutes
- Chapter Three: The Turnbow Trap – one hour and six minutes
- Chapter Four: Sorcerer – one hour and 23 minutes
As for the dedicated fans who have stayed up all night to binge-watch the new episodes, there’s just as much excitement.
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‘On the edge of my seat the entire time. Action, intensity, and an amazing ride to be apart of! Had high expectations and to be honest, it has exceeded them thus far!’ Seth H shared on RT.
‘Action all through-out. Tear-jerking and builds up lots of hope for our Hawkins Heroes!’ Adriel J praised.
‘I just don’t understand how the Duffer Brothers continue to absolutely nail every opportunity they get. Never know what’s coming. Yet with every turn you become so satisfied,’ Zach C declared.
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Stranger Things season five part one is now streaming on Netflix. Part two arrives on December 25 and the finale on December 31.
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